David I. Maurstad, who has been the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency's acting insurance administrator and mitigation director forthe past two years, has been named to the post on a permanentbasis, it was announced last week.

Mr. Maurstad's presidential appointment was announced Thursdayby FEMA's acting director, David Paulison.

Mr. Paulison said Mr. Maurstad would “continue to lead ournationwide efforts to encourage individuals, cities and states tomitigate against future disasters, as well as oversee the nation'sflood insurance program.”

Mr. Maurstad's appointment was announced as part of a seniorleadership team presented to FEMA employees by Department ofHomeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

That announcement included the news that President George W.Bush intends to nominate Mr. Paulison as undersecretary of FederalEmergency Management at DHS.

Since he was appointed as acting administrator and director inJune 2004, Mr. Maurstad has led his division and the NFIP throughtwo record-breaking hurricane seasons.

In 2004, the NFIP settled nearly $2 billion in flood claims–mostfrom the four hurricanes which hit Florida and Alabama beforestretching all the way into Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Last year, the NFIP set a record by successfully closing nearly250,000 flood claims for an expected total of nearly $23 billionfrom the season's unprecedented 27 named tropical storms.

Officials said Mr. Maurstad, during his tenure, has also:

o Led President Bush's push to modernize antiquated floodmaps.

o Overseen advisory base flood elevations issued tohurricane-devastated communities to help them rebuild stronger andsafer.

o Overseen engineering teams working in heavily damaged areas tolearn more about the action of wind and waves on the builtenvironment.

o Led efforts to ensure that buildings in earthquake-prone areasare constructed to be more resistant to shaking.

His areas of oversight include the National Flood InsuranceProgram, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, theNational Dam Safety Program and the National Hurricane Program.

Mr. Maurstad works with public and private risk managers, aswell as leaders in government, industry, research and academia.

Previously, Mr. Maurstad served as regional director of FEMA'sRegion VIII since October 2001, where he coordinated FEMA'sprevention, preparedness and disaster response and recoveryactivities in Colorado, Montana, North and South Dakota, Utah andWyoming.

Prior to that appointment, Mr. Maurstad was the lieutenantgovernor of Nebraska, a position to which he was elected in1998.